Economy and Finance Minister Yiannis Papathanassiou on Tuesday sent a
message to critics predicting that Greece will face unresolved problems
on the economic front, saying that the country has "the will, the plan
and determination not only to ensure the credible course of the
economy, but to strengthen its competitiveness".

Speaking to reporters after an ECOFIN meeting in Brussels, the Greek
minister stressed:

"All those betting against Greece will lose," he said, adding that
gloomy predictions would be dismissed exactly like what happened a few
years ago when a portion of the international press lathered over a
Greek failure in organising the 2004 Olympic Games, or predicting that
because of overspending in the hosting of the Games the country would
be lead to financial ruin.

"Greece successfully hosted the Olympic Games and recorded one of the
highest growth rates in the Eurozone and significantly cut
unemployment," Papathanassiou reminded.

He underlined that Greece is one of the five Eurozone countries with
positive growth rates, while its fiscal deficit and unemployment rates
were below Eurozone's average rates. "Greece has all the reserves
needed to deal with difficult situations like the one witnessing
currently," he said, adding that a three-year consolidation program, to
be submitted with the European Commission by the end of the month,
would include policy directions aimed at strengthening fiscal
consolidation and ensuring support for the real economy and weaker
population groups.

Papathanassiou said the ECOFIN meeting mainly discussed ways to restore
smooth operations in the financial system. "Greece, in contrast with
other countries, enjoys a healthy financial system and with the help of
a plan to boost liquidity and other development policies, we believe we
can manage to achieve a higher growth rates compared with EU
forecasts," the Greek minister said.

The Greek financial system is based on solid bases and there is not
danger of insolvency or collapse, Papathanassiou said, expressing the
confidence that economic growth rates would exceed Commission's
forecasts for 2009.

Commenting on the implementation of rules by the EU Stability and
Growth Pact, the Greek minister said the meeting reached a consensus on
adhering to the Pact's rules, although with flexibility.

Main opposition PASOK's spokesman for development issues Mihalis
Chrysohoidis on Tuesday attacked the government's economic policies,
saying that they had led to the paradox of consumer prices rising even
as nominal inflation was falling.

Citing figures sent to the development ministry by industry and
supermarkets, Chrysohoidis said that a new round of price increases of
about 17 percent was being prepared. At the same time, the prices of
basic goods in international markets were in freefall, he added, with
price indexes for basic food stuffs having dropped between 14-28
percent compared to the record highs of the past year.

Unlike in Greece, he said, this situation had led to veritable price
wars between retail chains in other European economies, as they
struggled to cope with the financial crisis.

In a reaction to Chrysohoidis' statements, Deputy Development Minister
George Vlachos expressed surprise that the main opposition MP had "sped
to announce price rises in advance," without any specific and confirmed
figures.

"Does he have privileged advance information from businesses? Is he
trying to assist aspiring profiteers in a difficult juncture for the
market? What the market needs today are responsible actions by everyone
not irresponsible populism," the minister stressed, adding that the
PASOK official's statements could only harm consumers.

Dendias informed the premier on ministry matters, and on his plans
regarding the major issue of the accelaration of the system of
attribution of justice, stressing to reporters afterwards that he
intends to carry on with his predecessors' efforts more intensively.

Responding to a press question on speculation that criminal actions,
such as recent abductions of high profile businessmen, are being
coordinating from the inside jails, the Justice Minister said: " I
cannot reply based on rumors or speculation. I am certain that the
investigative authorities will do their job and will solve the case,
just as they have done in the past".

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis met on Tuesday with the new Tourism
Development Minister Costas Markopoulos.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Markopoulos underlined that in
the difficult prevailing financial conjuncture in Europe and globally,
Greece has a comparative advantage in tourism, which we must support
and enforce in order to strengthen it so as to comprise a powerful
weapon of our economy.

Replying to a question on where his focus will be, Markopoulos said
that the priority will be on domestic and foreign tourism and luxury
tourism, as well as on tourism for the average Greek and the lower
income brackets.

"Whatever is to be done will be in consensus with all the social groups
and all the organisations involved in the tourism sector," he said.

To a press question on whether the goverment is thinking of early
general elections, the minister said that the government was not
occupying itself with elections but with the difficult economic
conjuncture and how it will give solutions and fulfill the citizens'
high expectations.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Tuesday was briefed by ruling New
Democracy (ND) Party parliamentary spokesman Panos Panagiotopoulos
focusing on legislative work issues.

Responding to a relative question, Panagiotopoulos said early elections
are unlikely, adding that the government is concentrating on overcoming
the global crisis with the least possible consequences.

As regards opinion poll results for ruling ND party, he said it can be
reversed with the right decisions in the right direction, pointing out
that they are already being made by the government focusing on a more
socially oriented policy.

He also underlined that he will not take over as ND Parliamentary group
secretary, commenting that the prime minister asked him to remain at
his post as the party's parliamentary spokesman.

Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis is expected in Moscow on Tuesday, on
her first trip abroad since Greece took over the presidency of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). She is
scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov the
following day.

In an interview with the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS concerning her
visit, she said it would cover all issues pertaining to the OSCE but
also bilateral affairs, especially in light of the recent natgas supply
crisis.

"Political cooperation between Greece and Russia is at an excellent
level," she said, adding that the two countries had similar opinions on
most major international issues and worked together closely in the
international organisations in which both were members.

In terms of bilateral affairs, Bakoyannis said she would focus on
further developing economic cooperation so that it was in line with the
very close political ties between the two countries, especially in the
energy sector where she noted "huge" prospects to further consolidate
and deepen relations.

The foreign minister also emphasised Greece's intention to be included
in the new energy map being drawn in the region, stressing that the
recent gas crisis had highlighted the correctness of Athens' policy of
seeking a diversification of energy routes and to make Greece an energy
hub for its surrounding area.

"In the modern international environment, a country that produces or is
a transit country for energy resources acquires a strategic
geopolitical and economic advantage," she noted, adding that Greece's
aim was to become a "reliable, responsible and predictable partner, a
strong link in Europe's energy chain" through projects like the
Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, or the TGI and South Stream natgas
pipelines.

Asked whether her talks in Moscow would also touch on a proposal by
Russian Premier Dimitri Medvedev for a new "security architecture" in
Europe, she noted that the OSCE was "the right forum for this kind of
discussion" and expressed hope that it would continue.

She also stressed the OSCE's potential role at a time of great
challenges for security and stability worldwide, including in areas
under the OSCE's jurisdiction, saying the organisation had proved
sufficiently flexible and adaptable to be able to bolster security and
cooperation.

"The top priority of the Greek presidency will be to seek the widest
possible consensus between the members of the Organisation on all
issues of security that demand solutions. We believe that we can
contribute to these as a reliable and trustworthy mediator," she said.

Main opposition PASOK party spokesman George Papaconstantinou on
Tuesday expressed the party's satisfaction over the favourable outcome
of the ordeal experienced by shipowner Pericles Panagopoulos, adding
that "now, of course, the time has come for the arrest of the
perpetrators, the time has come for the police to do their work and to
find the businessman's abductors."

Referring to economic issues, the spokesman said that "Greece is
participating in the counci of finance ministers in Brussels under the
weight of the European Commission's extremely unfavourable report for
our country," while underlining that "this data rejects everything that
the government was trying to tell the Greek citizens over the past
years."

Papaconstantinou further said that "in simple language, the Greek
citizens have realised very well that the prime minister has deceived
them repeatedly, over the past five years, presenting a picture of the
Greek economy which is very distant from reality."

He also criticised the government for its economic policy in its
entirety and wondered "where exactly does the borrowed money of the
Greek government go" and referred to remarks made by the government
spokesman on PASOK's economic proposals, saying that "either Mr.
Antonaros does not read my statements or he pretends not to
understand."

Support of the Coalition of the Left (Synaspismos) for farmers'
demands, calling them "just and self-evident", was expressed by the
party's political secretariat in an announcement, following its meeting
on Tuesday.

The announcement added that "the country's remaining farmers are
expressing their own desperation over the situation in the countryside
due to the policy being exercised throughout all the past years" and
added that "it is a case of a policy of diminishing incomes, total lack
of planning, as well as of interest in the viability of the farm
economy and production."

Government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros, citing foreign ministry
information, on Tuesday stressed that there is no change in the Athens
FIR (Flight Information Region) or similar plans, while all relative
international agreements are into effect.

Antonaros made the comment in response to a question referring to a
newspaper report.

Responding to questions on alleged proposals made by the National
Council on Education to replace the nationwide exams system,
Spiliotopoulos stressed that dialogue on issues such as university
admission will be held without preconditions, pointing out that all
views will be considered.

Outgoing Greek Amb. Christos Panagopoulos, addressing a farewell
ceremony hosted in his honour by Serbian Parliament President Slavica
Djukic-Dejanovic, reassured here that Athens will continue to support
Serbia's European prospects.

Panagopoulos also promised that Greek support for the Serb economy will
continue, mainly through investments, and stressed that major
possibilities for cooperation in the sectors of energy, tourism,
telecoms and infrastructure projects.

Dejanovic thanked the Greek envoy for the progress achieved during his
tenure in relations between the two countries, ones linked by historic
bonds of friendship.

The Serbian Parliament president also informed Panagopoulos that she
has accepted an initiative by Greek Parliament President Dimitris
Sioufas for a conference of Parliament presidents from SE European
countries on the Middle East crisis.

Archbishop Demetrios of America will be present on Tuesday to the
inauguration of new president of USA Barack Obama.

Demetrios, who has been invited by Obama to attend the Presidential
Inauguration celebrations will also participate on Wednesday at the
traditional National Prayer Service that will be held in the National
Cathedral in Washington D.C. in presence of the new President Barack
Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

Democrats Abroad of Greece and scores of expatriate Americans and
Athenians alike gathered at the American Community Schools of Athens
campus on Tuesday evening of an "inaugural celebration", with live
coverage of the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of
the United States, an event that capped off a series of events by local
Democrats in support of one-time presidential contender, events that
began almost a year ago.

Greece's farmers went ahead with their threat to block major roads and
other forms of protest action on Tuesday - including the closure of an
airport on Crete - ignoring appeals from the government to "avoid
extremes".

Tractors rolled onto the tarmac at around 13:30 and blocked access to
the Athens-Lamia national highway near the Lamia junction, as farmers
from Fthiotida and Viotia chose this method to air their grievances.
They later extended their blockade to the old national highway and
rural roads as well, even as more farmers shut down the railway line
near Davlia for half an hour as a symbolic gesture.

Meanwhile, farmers from Livadia, Orhomenos and Vagia blocked the
national highway at the Kastro junction.

Motorists struggling to find alternative routes found their journey
times extended by as much as five hours as they were forced to make
detours as far away as Arachova and Amfissa in order to circumvent the
farmer blockades.

Police are currently diverting traffic from the old national highway
and directing all vehicles to Brallos. From there, large vehicles are
directed to Amfissa to reach Delphi and Arachova and then head towards
Livadia so that they rejoin the Athens-Lamia national highway near
Thiva. Private cars can travel via Amfiklia-Tithorea and Elateia and
then use minor roads to reach Livadia, Thiva and the national highway.

They were joined by farmers in the north, with tractors closing down
the Promahonas border crossing in Serres and the Exohi border crossing
in Drama, a bridge over the Strymonas River and the Mavroneri junction
in Kilkis, while the road blocks on the Athens-Thessaloniki national
highway at Tempi, Nikaia in Larisa and the Mikrothivon junction
remained in place.

Further targets for protest were the Egnatia highway and the
Kavala-Xanthi road.

On Crete, meanwhile, farmers from Iraklio and Lasithi prefectures took
over the 'Nikos Kazantzakis' airport, occupying even the runway.

Farmers in the Lamia region have threatened even wider blockades that
will close off the old national highway and most secondary roads on
Wednesday.

The farmers' associations federation GESASE urged farmers to continue
their struggle in a message on Tuesday, while demanding that the
government announce "binding and immediate measures to support their
income, satisfying the demands of the farmer movement".

GESASE blasted the government's farm policy, saying that the only
people gaining from it were the profiteering circuits that preyed on
the agricultural sector, and pointed out that prices for agricultural
products had collapsed for the second time in the last five years while
the government looked on and did nothing.

Government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros on Tuesday, referring to
various farmers' mobilisations announced for the coming period, merely
noted that citizens have a right to defend their views but in a way
that does not hurt the whole of society's interests.

The end of January and February over the past decade is usually a
period marked by mobilisations by farm unions.

Speaking at a regular press briefing in Athens, Antonaros also referred
to the negotiations between Rural Development and Foods Minister
Sotiris Hatzigakis and farmers' representatives.

The number of approved loans to small-to-medium sized businesses
through Credit Guarantee Fund for Small and Micro Enterprises (TEMPME
SA) programmes has rapidly increased, Development Minister Costis
Hatzidakis stressed after the meeting he had Tuesday with the General
Confederation of Greek Small Businesses and Trades (GSEVEE) Board.

Highlighting the progress made, Hatzidakis underlined that TEMPME has
received roughly 10,000 loan applications and already one tenth of them
has been approved.

He also announced that the 100-million-euro entrepreneurship programmes
for women and youth will be launched before the end of February.

Newly appointed Tourism Development Minister Costas Markopoulos met
Tuesday with a delegation of the Central Union of Municipalities and
Communities of Greece (KEDKE), headed by its president, Athens Mayor
Nikitas Kaklamanis to discuss tourism issues.

Markopoulos ensured the KEDKE representatives that he will bring no
provisions to parliament for approval concerning the abolition of a
municipal tax imposed on private businesses operating in tourist
regions before holding consultations with the municipal authorities.

As regards the adoption of new measures for tourism, the minister
stressed that all options that would benefit the country are being
considered.

Greek exports will be negatively affected by a global economic crisis,
a survey by the Center of Export Research and Studies said on Tuesday.
The survey, examining the performance of Greek exports during global
recessions in the last three decades, showed that Greek exports fell
during the recession of 1981-1983, 1991-1993 and 2000-2003 and noted
that the decline was stronger since a recession in global demand was
combined with a fall in the international competitiveness of Greek
exports.

An evolving financial and economic crisis, the survey said, will
highlight the chronic problems of export activity in the country, such
as a low level of competitiveness and a prevailing dominance of
traditional products. A subdued economic activity throughout the world
and a limited expansion or stalemate in international trade will affect
Greek exports, such as products related with industrial production (non
ferrous metals), products related with building activity and
constructions, and products such as clothing and food. The categories
likely to suffer more from the crisis are oil products, non-ferrous
metals, iron, steel and products, plastics, clothing, tobacco and farm
products.

All these sectors accounted for two-thirds of total value of Greek
exports in 2007, the survey said.

Greece's renewable energy sources sector is steadily growing, a survey
by Hellastat SA revealed on Tuesday, with power production from the
industry totaling 878 MW at the end of 2006, an average annual growth
rate of 23 pct in the period 1990-2006.

In the survey, Hellastat said by the end of 2007 total electricity
energy power production totaled 1,039 MW (up 18 pct from 2006), while
total power production -including large hydroelectric projects- totaled
4,060 MW.

Hellastat said a total of 297 enterprises were included in the survey,
of which only 124 reported commercial activities in 2007. Turnover of
the sample grew by 36.5 pct to 216.3 million euros in 2007, from 158.5
million euros in 2006, reflecting a significant increase in turnover by
companies with an annual turnover of more than 10 million euros. Gross
results grew by 28.2 pct in 2007, slower compared with a 68.6 pct
increase in 2006, while EBITDA rose by 16 pct and net profits were
stable reflecting higher operating costs. From a total 124 companies
included in the survey, 102 reported positive pre-tax profits.

The survey noted, however, that time-consuming bureaucracy and
weaknesses in the regulatory framework, high initial investment cost,
inability of energy storage, natural gas competition, delays in
implementing investment projects, were creating hurdles in the further
development of the industry.

Marfin Egnatia Bank's loan portfolio towards private customers and
small-to-medium-sized enterprises will grow by more than 10 percent
this year, the head of the bank Andreas Vgenopoulos said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters during a news conference held to present a
strategic partnership between Marfin Egnatia Bank and French group CNP
Assurances, Vgenopoulos said this growth would be achieved without any
state support and stressed that the bank would maintain strict criteria
in its lending policy, with the aim to avoid any increase in the bank's
non-performing loans portfolio.

Vgenopoulos cited the strategic partnership between Marfin Egnatia Bank
and CNP Assurances, with the French group acquiring 50.1 pct in Marfin
Insurance Holdings and taking over the management of all insurance
companies of the group in Greece and Cyprus.

Kedr Bank, currently operating one branch in Athens, announced that it
wants to strengthen its presence in Greece with the opening of four
branch units.

Presenting the bank's strategy, Yiannis Gen, the bank's head for
operations in Greece and Europe, said an expanding operation would
contribute in further enhancing trade and financial relations between
Greece and Russia.

Kedr Bank opened its first branch in Athens in November 2007 and offers
a wide range of banking services, such as investments, joint ventures,
European programmes, tourism and building activity. The bank also aims
to offer services to Russian-speaking residents living in Greece, some
400,000 people.

Kedr Bank was founded in 1991 and began its expansion in 2002. It
currently operates a branch network of more than 250 units. Among its
major shareholders are: Eurobank Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, and East Capital, a Swedish group.

Intracom Telecom on Tuesday announced the signing of a contract, worth
15 million euros, with BTC, the Bulgarian Telecoms Corporation, for the
supply of infrastructure equipment for the Bulgarian company's GSM
network. The supply will be made through Intracom's subsidiary,
Intracom Bulgaria.

BTC is the largest telecoms operator in Bulgaria and one of the biggest
enterprises in the country, with a workforce of 7,000, 2.1 million
subscribers in fixed-telephony operations, 1.3 million subscribers in
mobile telephony operations and 240,000 Internet subscribers.

Public Power Corp. (PPC) chairman and chief executive P. Athanasopoulos
on Tuesday proposed cutting its 2009 compensation to 40 pct of its 2008
salary and linked the remaining 60 pct to three specific targets.

The proposal, approved by PPC's board, envisages that payment the
remaining 60 pct of its salary would be linked with achieving three
targets: full implementation of 2009 budget, savings up to 90 million
euros and completing procedures and signing of contracts for building
of power production units with a power of 2,400 MW. Under the plan, the
chairman will not receive a bonus for 2009, while similar cutbacks are
envisaged also for the vice chairman and the deputy chief executive of
the corporation.

Frigoglass on Tuesday announced plans to significantly cut its
workforce in its production unit in western Greece as part of a
restructuring of its production units. The company also announced the
shut down of its unit in Norway and production cuts in Poland.

Under the plan, Frigoglas seeks to cut its workforce in its unit in
Achaia by 120 workers, through a voluntary exit program and to ensuring
the remaining 90 job positions in the unit. The cost of the program is
expected to reach 8.5 million euros.

The yield spread between the 10-year benchmark Greek and German bonds
widened to a new record high of 271 basis points in the Greek
electronic secondary bond market on Tuesday, with the Greek bond
yielding 5.73 pct and the German Bund 3.02 pct.

Turnover in the securities market totaled 950 million euros, of which
335 million were buy orders and the remaining 615 million euros were
sell orders.

Well-known local shipping executive Pericles Panagopoulos, kidnapped
more than a week ago outside his southeast Athens home, was found
unharmed in the early morning hours Tuesday after his family reportedly
paid a huge ransom.

Panagopoulos, 74, was spotted by the crew of a police patrol car
sitting on a park bench outside a rest stop on the outskirts of western
industrial Athens. Earlier, the shipping magnate's wife had reportedly
left a large cache of euros at a designated spot on the Athens-Lamia
highway, north of the capital.

He was later taken to his home in an exclusive seaside district where
his family and personal doctor awaited, as reports over the past days
noted that he suffers from a heart condition.

Shipowner Pericles Panagopoulos, who was abducted last week, was
released early on Tuesday after his family paid a 30 million euros
ransom demanded by his abductors. Panagopoulos spoke to the press, and
thanked especially the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos,
Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Deputy Interior Minister
Athanassios Nakos, Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, Greek and
foreign officials and politicians and people of the media in general
who took interest in his ordeal, as well as his family and his
associates for the way they all handled his abduction.

Panagopoulos did not reveal any specific details on the condition of
his detention, but said that the abductors were polite and took care
of him, and made sure that he took the medicines required for the
condition of his health, clarifying that he always has his medication
with him.

He also said that he could not describe the place of his detention, and
added that the abductors who were in contact with him were more than
one.

A barometer poll conducted by the European Commission in Greece shows
hight rates of pessimism and dissatisfaction among Greeks in a number
of areas. The poll was conducted between October 6 and November 6 2008,
using a sample of 1,000 citizens aged over 15 throughout the country.
Its findings were released on Tuesday.

The survey forms part of a broader study being carried out in the 27 EU
member-states and three candidate countries (Croatia, Turkey and the
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), as well as in the
Turkish-Cypriot community.

A majority of Greeks expressed pessimism over the state of the economy,
both nationally and on a global level, and dissatisfaction with levels
of employment, the state of the environment, size of pensions and Greek
institution. More than half said they were having trouble meeting their
financial obligations. In spite of the above, one in two Greeks stated
that they were happy with their daily life in general.

At 90 percent, Greek levels of dissatisfaction over the state of the
country's economy were the highest in Europe, where the EU average was
69 percent. Greeks are also the most dissatisfied among Europeans with
the state of the environment in the country, at 76 percent, compared
with 51 percent as the EU average.

The vast majority (92 percent) express disappointment over employment
levels, placing Greeks third in EU rankings after the Portuguese and
Hungarians.

Six in ten Greeks say that they are having trouble paying standard
bills, while 66 percent see a downturn for the economy and employment
levels in the country. There is strong dissatisfaction among the
overwhelming majority (93 percent) over the cost of living (compared
with 78 percent in the EU) and power (69 percent in the EU), over the
level of pensions (91 percent compared to 58 percent in the EU), of
poverty and inequality (89 percent versus 67 percent in EU), of
unemployment benefit (89 percent versus 51 percent in EU), efficiency
of public administration (89 percent compared with 55 percent in EU)
and healthcare (78 percent compared with 43 percent in EU).

Overall, seven in 10 Greeks consider that the country is heading in the
wrong direction (49 percent in the EU) with the economy, high prices
and unemployment ranking as the top problems. There is also a
generalised lack of trust in the government (EU 61 percent), the
Parliament (68 percent versus 58 percent in the EU) and the political
parties (86 percent versus 75 percent in the EU).

Conversely, six in 10 Greeks has faith in the EU and the euro (compared
to 47 percent in the EU), and seven and 10 consider that Greece has
benefited from its membership of the EU. At the same time, 45 percent
of Greek public opinion applauds the country's membership of the EU and
43 percent take a neutral attitude. Greeks are in favour of
accelerating the building of the EU but are opposed to a "two-speed"
Europe.

The historic and world-famous Bolshoi Ballet, which dates back more
than two centuries and is among the oldest ballet companies in the
world, is due to appear in Athens for three performances in February.
During a press conference on Tuesday at the Athens Concert Hall
(Megaron), where the performances will take place, the Ballets director
and head dancer Yanin Gennady explained that it would include both the
students of the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and the Ballet's 11 soloists.

"It is always interesting to see the development of our students and
the audience will be able to see their prospects and how, from the
Academy, they finally become soloists in the Ballet," he said.

Gennady explained that the soloists would work with the students in a
sort of "lesson on stage" and would perform a selection drawn mainly
from the classical repertoire, with some forays into a more modern
repertoire.

Among these will be sections of "The Nutcracker", "Swan Lake" and "Don
Quixote", "Classical Symphony", "Russian Dance", "Ballet of the Dolls"
and "Carnival of Venice".

The performances will be held in the 'Friends of Music' hall at the
Megaron on Sunday, February 1 at 12:00 and 20:30 and on Monday February
2 at 20:30.

Palestinian and Greek students, as well as anti-war, political and
social groups, held a solidarity rally for the Palestinian people on
the occasion of the swearing-in of the new U.S. president, and to
condemn the policy of the United States and of Israel in Thessaloniki,
Macedonia, on Tuesday night.

Holding placards and banners and shouting slogans in support of the
Palestinians, the demonstrators gathered outside the building housing
the U.S. consulate. They also distributed printed material to
passers-by containing information on the situation prevailing in the
Gaza Strip, while also calling for a pullout of the Israeli military
from the region and the lifting of the embargo to enable humanitarian
aid to reach the area.

A photography exhibition entitled "Big Postcards from the Neighbour"
opened on Tuesday at the Ligue Franco-Hellenique in downtown Athens,
featuring the works of Turkish photographers Ömer Türel and Kamil
Ercüment Atak.

Turkey's ambassador to Athens, Ouz Celikkol, was scheduled to
officially open the exhibition, which will be run until Jan. 31.

A municipal employee cleaning ditches in a rural area of Karditsa
prefecture on Tuesday found the bottom half of an ancient funerary
stele made of marble.

The stele fragment is 96 cm high, 42 cm wide and 17 cm in depth. The
front part bears a depiction of the god Hermes about 28 cm high and a
text of eight verses. It was turned over the Karditsa police and is due
to be evaluated by the Archaeological Service.

Cloudy and rainy weather and southeasterly winds are forecast in most
parts of the country on Wednesday, with wind velocity reaching 2-8
beaufort. Temperatures will range between 0C and 20C. Cloudy with local
showers in Athens, with southeasterly 4-7 beaufort winds and
temperatures ranging from 8C to 18C. Same in Thessaloniki, with
temperatures ranging from 2C to 12C.

The EU Commission's adverse forecasts on the Greek and international
economy, the ongoing Turkish provocations in the Aegean and the release
of shipowner Pericles Panagopoulos a week after he was abducted outside
his house in southern Athens coastal suburb of Kavouri, dominated the
headlines on Tuesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Greece is withstanding - Almunia described the deep
crisis in the European markets".